Ytterbium (Yb)

Atomic Number: 70 • Group: HREE

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173.045

Ytterbium

HREE

Primary Uses

Fiber lasers (high-power industrial), Atomic clocks

Scarcity & Economic Profile

Crustal Abundance

2.8-3.3 ppm

Primary Economic Driver

Portable X-ray machines

Geological Scarcity

LowMediumHighExtremeTotal

Supply Risk

N/ALowMediumHighExtreme

Primary Mining Countries

China Russia

Primary Processing Countries

China

Sources - Crustal Abundance

Rudnick, R. L., & Gao, S. (2003). Composition of the Continental Crust. Treatise on Geochemistry, 3, 1-64.
Taylor, S. R., & McLennan, S. M. (1985). The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution. Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Wedepohl, K. H. (1995). The composition of the continental crust. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 59(7), 1217-1232.
U.S. Geological Survey. (2026). Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026. U.S. Department of the Interior.

Short Description

Ytterbium-doped fiber lasers are revolutionizing industrial manufacturing, providing high-power laser cutting and welding capabilities with exceptional efficiency and beam quality. Ytterbium atomic clocks represent cutting-edge timekeeping technology, crucial for GPS and fundamental physics research.